Exclusive Interview with Amber Weiss, Vice President, HR, Catapult Health

Leading With Transparency And Empathy

 

“We have taken the time to get to know colleagues on a different, more personal level. This is something we will carry into a post-COVID environment,” says Amber Weiss, Vice President, HR, Catapult Health, during an interaction with HR.com.  Amber Weiss is the Vice President of Human Resources at Catapult Health. Excerpts from an interview:

1. How will the suspension of H1B Visa by the US impact the future US workforce?

Amber: The length and breadth of the suspension will dictate the long-term impact. Ultimately, if the current program continues, I believe a number of companies will increase their offshore presence and worksite investments.

2. Prolonged work-from-home for the first time could cause behavioral and attitudinal changes. What are the measures you are adopting to ensure physical and mental wellness along with business continuity? 

Amber: At Catapult Health, we aligned on transparency and empathy as the pillars of our approach while taking an active stance on staying connected to all our team members. We were intentional to act quickly and worked to engage with everyone individually and collectively. Some of our key strategies include: creating cross-functional innovation project teams, investing in LinkedIn Learning through which we host group learning sessions and create recommend learning paths for our team members to continue their personal and professional development, and hosting weekly team and all company virtual social activity opportunities. 

Video conferencing is playing a much larger role than previously, which helps our team members maintain a deeper connection by seeing each other when they are not able to come into the office. We host company-wide Monday morning video meetings to share company updates and celebrate birthdays and anniversaries.  

Our team members are the best source of information. To find out how they are doing in the current environment, we are sending a survey in mid-July. Our intention is to gather more intelligence and determine what we can do more of from a company perspective to support our teams and their families. We anticipate using the results to gauge how we continue forward.

3. In the current scenario, how should leaders adapt to the 'new normal'?

Amber: I do not believe we have found the “new normal” yet, which, to me, is the most unsettling aspect of our current situation. To support our teams best, each leader must continuously reevaluate and adjust their approach, as what worked two months ago, likely has a shelf life and may not be what our team needs going forward. Leaders should be cognizant of any behavioral changes and spend time asking each person on their team how they are doing. We have to listen more intently to what people are saying – and, more importantly, what they are not saying. 

Additionally, while it is always important, now more so than ever, it is imperative that we share specific feedback with our team members, so they know we are paying attention and want to stay connected. 

4. What would be the cultural change we are looking at in a post-COVID world?

Amber: We have taken the time to get to know colleagues on a different, more personal level. This is something we will carry into a post-COVID environment. We share funny stories, frustrating moments, family challenges and a lot of memes!

Ultimately, many companies, including Catapult Health, will likely transition to a hybrid worksite model, combining in-office and telecommuting, where possible.  

5. How do you connect to your remote employees and what are the measures you adopt to keep your remote employees engaged?

Amber: Engagement has been a huge focus for our team throughout this year. As indicated above, we deployed several strategies to ensure we connect with each individual on a personal level from a leadership perspective. In addition, through the incorporation of weekly activities, including live cooking demonstrations, working from home tips, emergency preparedness, book clubs and virtual happy hours, we are working to find something that would appeal to everyone.

6. Are you facing any COVID-related health concerns among your workforce? How are you dealing with it?

Amber: We have made many adjustments for those coming into the workplace, including temperature checks, introducing specific limits on the number of people in the office, break rooms and conference rooms. We provide specific guidance on how to social distance and have strict “mask-up” requirements when someone is not at their desk. 

Our team members in the field are provided additional personal protection equipment, updated social distancing protocols and they complete a COVID-related questionnaire daily along with temperature checks. 

7. What is that one concern that is crucial to you at this point?

Amber: My top concern right now is the mental health of our team members and their families. We hear frequently that these are unprecedented times, which they truly are. We want to help our team as much as we can. 

8. What lessons have this pandemic taught you?

Amber: Even though we are all going through something similar, COVID-19 has created individual challenges and the reactions are different from one person to the next. 

As a company, we had the opportunity to sit back and watch things happen to us or innovate. We chose innovation. As an example, we recently announced the Catapult Health Virtual Checkup, which will change the way preventive healthcare is delivered. 

9. As businesses reopen, chances are that social distancing and COVID-19 related restrictions might bring new workplace challenges. Staff and customers may have differing views on the importance of personal space and safety, which can lead to an increased risk of confrontation. How should you prepare to prevent and de-escalate conflicts?

Amber: For many of our team members, we have been able to provide options regarding a return to the office worksite, allowing them to make the choice. However, for some roles that is not an option. Ultimately, transparency and honesty have been emphasized, which is key to maintaining our culture. We often ask our team members to bring forward their questions and concerns. While we may not always agree, a willingness to have the conversation goes a long way.